✍️ Happy 2026! And, a Happy Announcement…

Giving Thanks, Plus the 2025 Year-end + 2026 Year-beginning Review

First, some gratitude.

As many people do during this period between Christmas and New Year’s, I’ve been reflecting on the year that’s ending. It hasn’t been the easiest year inside and outsie of writing, for reasons. But this newsletter is definitely a high point, and one I want to build on in 2026. (More on that below…)

I’m hyper-aware that I didn’t get here alone. If you’re reading this, then you’ve helped make the newsletter the success it has been so far. Thank you!

There are a few of you who have helped behind the scenes too, who I’d like to thank in particular:

• Sam Plavins and Jodene Wylie, friends and writers who encouraged me from the moment I came up with the idea

• Donna White, Susan Rogers, Heather Dickson, and Jean E Pendziwol, more friends and writers who encouraged me from those early days before launch

• Vera Constantineau, another friend and writer who’s been my #1 Fan and Cheerleader

• Friend and writer Terry Fallis for his general support and encouragement, and for sending me so many subscribers from his substack, A Novel Journey

• Friend and writer Joanne Hudspith (we go waaaay back – further than Joanne would like me to say, I’m sure…), who helped me plan this next big step with some insightful questions for me, and who has been a big supporter of my work

• Regular commenters who have become friends like Tom Pendergast, Mark DeLong, Meg Oolders, M.E. Proctor, Beverley Bley, and Jenny (who I also know IRL)

• Marion Agnew and Mary Gastmeier, who are all of the above and my co-conspirators in the Writing Craft Book Club

• Berlin writer and entrepreneur Igor Ranc, who I’ve written with most Fridays via Zoom for almost four years now

• Kevin Alexander of On Repeat Records – we struck up a friendship over music, and he even accepted a guest post from me about The Tragically Hip’s first album

• Everyone who joined #GraNoWriMo as an extension of this newsletter

• All those people who have reached out privately via email, who I will publicly thank while keeping you privately anonymous

These people have helped and inspired me multiple times along the way. I couldn’t have done it without you!

(If I’ve missed you in this list, please accept my most humble apologies – me brain no workie like it used to…)

When I launched this newsletter just over four years ago, I had a firm vision of what it should be in terms of tone, format, and content; what I wanted to accomplish; and who the target audience was. Although I’ve tweaked some things along the way, that original vision and format remained mostly intact.

…until now.

I said in previous newsletters that I was thinking of playing with the format, and most particularly shortening it. That was welcomed with positive feedback! So, I will officially launch the new format starting next Tuesday. That new format will be mostly recognizable, but with two distinct differences:

1. I’ll be publishing every Tuesday instead of bi-weekly.

2. It will be shorter. My goal is to keep the same irreverent tone but in half the word count. A “Fun Size” chocolate bar that’s all the original with fewer calories.

I have some other projects bubbling on the horizon as well, but I’ll let you know more about those when they are closer than half-baked ideas…

Until then, Happy 2026, and keep writing with wild abandon!

~Graham

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